Chenjesu
The Chenjesu are a race of silicon-based, crystalline beings. They have merged with the Chmmr. Physiology and culture Unlike most other sentients, the crystalline Chenjesu are photo/chemovores existing on electric energy and have neither natural predators nor need for prey. Another distinguishing feature is the electromagnetic energy fields that they naturally produce, which create the characteristic Chenjesu crackling noise from minor corona discharges. However, when experiencing strong emotions, Chenjesu have been known to cause visible and audible electrical breakdowns in air, which often interfere with nearby electronics. Along with these innate electric fields, the Chenjesu can produce sustained, controlled electrical discharges. They also have highly sensitive, natural HyperWave receptors and transmitters, which gave them the first inkling of the Ur-Quan invasion. While silicon-based, they are not at all like the Taalo — Chenjesu are crystalline rather than rock-like. But the Taalo did have silicon blood that flowed though them but were not fully Silicon like the Chenjesu. Due to their unique niche in their native ecosystem, they are naturally non-hostile, preferring instead to engage their vast intellects in philosophical discussions and other pursuits of knowledge. Their culture's greatest achievement, a philosophical text, is The Book of Bzzbezzu Kzaaz. Avid explorers, their star charts of HyperSpace are the standard for Alliance races. Their technology is electrical and crystalline in nature, similar to their own physiology. Images of the Chenjesu captains during the Ur-Quan Slave War (which the Chenjesu name "the Great Crucible of Sentience") imply that they interface with their equipment through creating controlled electrical discharges. Their starship, the Chenjesu Broodhome, possessed more raw power (and raw material) than any other Alliance ship, even if, in general, it was not the most effective in combat. Their rare physiology, advanced sentience and peculiar evolutionary path leads some to speculate that they are the product of an ancient, peaceful culture. An alternate explanation is that they are mostly software, interacting with their environment through some kind of field manipulation mechanism. History and relations with other races The Chenjesu are one of the oldest of the space-faring races, and so have had interactions with a number of the other alien races in this region of the galaxy. A little less than a thousand years prior to the War around c.1200 CE, the Chenjesu established amicable relations with the nearby and recently arrived Mmrnmhrm. Part of this relationship was a defensive military alliance that later deflected an initial attack by the Ur-Quan Kzer-Za circa 2111. It is theorized by Earthling scientists in the 22nd century that the Mmrnmhrm had arived in the Local region of space as part of a colonizing effort for a unknown race of some kind thats name has never been revealed or disclosed in any of the games. So where the Mmrnmhrm came from who built them or what there makers looked like is all up to speculation. It remains unclear why the makers of the Mmrnmhrm have not arived in the local region of space yet after all its been nearly a thousand years but its been speculated by Earthling scientists in the 22nd century that the reason for this is becasue they were destroyed already. This comes from the idea that both types of Ur-quan the Green and Black and also the Mrmrnhrm and there makers all originated from a region of space thats located in that outward direction from the Local Region of space. so the leading theory was the the Urquan had killed off the Makers of the Mmrnmhrn at some point in the past. But regardless of who made the Mmrnmhrm they are a very intrigal part of the Chenjesu and there war effort against the Ur-quan Hierarchy. The Alliance of Free stars (2111 -2134) Although the Earliest origins date back to about c.1200 when the Mmrnmhrm and the Chenjesu made there Military defense pact, the Alliance of Freestars began in 2111 after the Earthlings and the Arilou joined their forces with the Chenjesu. After the Syreen joined the Alliance in 2120, the alliance was fully formed in 2120 and lasted for 14 years until 2134. This alliance formed the basis of what became the New Alliance of Free Stars and later in Star Control 3 the League of Sentient beings around 2164 and Including the Green Ur-quan as members. although the League of Sentient beings is located in a distant region of space that does not include the home world of the Earthlings or the Chenjesu. and the New Alliance of free stars continues to operate in the local region of space and remains at war with the green and black Ur-quan and also the Lurg as of 2164. Known individuals *Bzrrak Ktazzz *Tzzz-Tzer-Tzak Alternate Universe Versions Inferno Regime-Verse At some point during the Andromeda Campaign, Hester Shaw's Regime forces learned the existence of the Chenjesu following their attack on Birrin.